Female science and technology talents are an important part of the science and technology talent team and a very important force in China’s science and technology cause. To further stimulate the innovative vitality of female scientific and technological talents, the Ministry of Science and Technology, the All-China Women’s Federation and several other government agencies apply several measures.
These measures aim to better play the important role of female scientific and technological talents in promoting innovation-driven development, achieving high-level technological self-reliance, and building a world technological power.
Deeply understand the importance of supporting female scientific and technological talents to play a greater role in technological innovation
Female scientific and technological talents have made outstanding contributions in basic theory, applied technology, and engineering practice, and fully demonstrated their female strength. However, on the whole, there is still a lack of high-level female scientific and technological talents. The role of female scientific and technological talents in technological innovation has not yet been fully achieved. In the “14th Five-Year Plan” and for a long period of time in the future, China must adhere to gender equality and equal opportunities, create a better environment for female scientific and technological talents to grow and progress, display their talents, and play their roles.
Cultivating high-level female scientific and technological talents
China strives to support female science and technology talents to undertake science and technology plan projects. In the organisation and implementation of the National Science and Technology Plan, creating conditions to attract more female scientific and technological talents to participate is necessary. China also aims to explore the establishment of women scientists projects in several national key research and development programs.
Vigorously support the innovation and entrepreneurship of female scientific and technological talents
China supports female scientific and technological talents to devote themselves to high-quality development. National high-tech industrial development zones and technology business incubators strengthen their support for female technology entrepreneurs and cultivate more female technology entrepreneurs. The nation also supports female scientific and technological personnel to participate in the special action of scientific and technical personnel to serve enterprises, and enhance the technological innovation capabilities of enterprises.
Improve the evaluation and incentive mechanism for female scientific and technological talents
China encourages female scientific and technological talents to be selected into the national high-level talent plan. The national talent plan appropriately relaxes the age limit for female applicants, and employers should give priority to recommending female scientific and technological talents under the same conditions. The co-opting of academicians of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Chinese Academy of Engineering encourages the nomination of more outstanding female scientists as candidates, and supports women to be selected first under the same conditions.
Support the scientific research work of female scientific and technological talents during pregnancy and nursing
China creates a good scientific research environment for pregnant and nursing female scientific and technological talents. China also encourages scientific research units to set up a female scientific research return fund to support female scientific researchers returning to scientific research posts after giving birth. In the assessment and evaluation, job hiring and other links, the time limit for pregnant and nursing female scientific and technological talents is appropriately relaxed, and the evaluation period is extended.
Strengthen the training of female reserve talents in science and technology
China cultivates female students’ interest in science by vigorously publicising the typical deeds of female scientists and the outstanding contributions of women in science and technology. China also carries out activities for female scientists to enter campus in a normal way, play a role model and lead, and cultivate female students’ interest and aspirations to love and learn science. There are various science popularisation education bases and popular science activities should increase the participation of female students in primary and secondary schools.
Strengthen the basic work of female scientific and technological talents
China strengthens statistics and research by establishing a data indicator system for female scientific and technological talents and incorporate them into national scientific and technological statistics to dynamically grasp the development status of female scientific and technological talents. China continues to carry out research on “Technology and Gender”, conduct gender equality assessment of science and technology policies, and carry out follow-up research on the growth of female science and technology talents to provide support for the further improvement of policies for female science and technology talents.
